Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia (May 2013)

Idosos hipertensos apresentam menor desempenho cognitivo do que idosos normotensos Elderly hypertensives show decreased cognitive performance compared with elderly normotensives

  • Juliana Magalhães Duarte Matoso,
  • Wellington Bruno Santos,
  • Irene de Freitas Henriques Moreira,
  • Roberto Alves Lourenço,
  • Marcelo Lima de Gusmão Correia

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 100, no. 5
pp. 444 – 451

Abstract

Read online

FUNDAMENTO: A hipertensão arterial tem sido associada à redução do desempenho cognitivo, contudo a literatura é conflitante. OBJETIVO: Comparar o desempenho cognitivo entre idosos normotensos ("N"; n = 17; idade 68 ± 1; pressão arterial = 133 ± 3/74 ± 2 mmHg) e hipertensos ("H"; n = 28; idade 69 ± 1, pressão arterial = 148 ± 4/80 ± 1 mmHg) com pelo menos cinco anos de escolaridade. MÉTODOS: A avaliação neuropsicológica ampla constou do "Cambridge Cognition-Revised" (CAMCOG-R), dos "Trail Making Test A and B" (TMT A e B) e do "Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test" (RAVLT). RESULTADOS: Os idosos hipertensos apresentaram menor escore do CAMCOG-R (N = 87,6 ± 1,8; H = 78,6 ± 1,4; p = 0,002). Os idosos hipertensos necessitaram de maior tempo para realizar o TMT A e B (TMT A: N = 39 ± 3s; H = 57 ± 3,4s; p = 0,001; TMT B: N = 93 ± 7s; H = 124 ± 7s; p = 0,006), o que também é demonstrado pelos percentis significativamente menores obtidos nestes testes. O somatório do RAVLT foi significativamente menor nos idosos hipertensos (N = 51,8 ± 1,7; H = 40,7 ± 1,5; p BACKGROUND: Essential hypertension has been associated with decreased cognitive performance; however, the literature is conflicting. OBJECTIVE: This study aims at comparing cognitive performance between elderly normotensives ("N"; n = 17; age 68 ± 1; blood pressure = 133 ± 3/74 ±2 mmHg) and hypertensives ("H"; n = 28; age 69 ± 1, blood pressure = 148 ± 4/80 ± 1mmHg) with at least 5 years of education. METHODS: The comprehensive neuropsychological assessment was comprised of the Cambridge Cognition-Revised (CAMCOG-R), the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT A and B) and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). RESULTS: Elderly hypertensives presented lower CAMCOG-R global scores (N = 87.6 ± 1.8; H = 78.6 ± 1.4; p = 0.002). The hypertensive's performance was slower in the TMT A and B (TMT A: N = 39 ± 3s; H = 57 ± 3s; p = 0.001; TMT B: N = 93 ± 7s; H = 124 ± 7s; p = 0.006), which was also reflected in smaller percentiles achieved by hypertensives in these tests. Hypertensive subjects exhibited a significantly lower RAVLT summation score (N = 51.8 ± 1.7; H = 40.7 ± 1.5; p < 0.0001). Even when adjusted for age, sex, education and depression symptoms, hypertension was an independent predictor of cognitive performance as measured by CAMCOG-R global score, TMT A and RAVLT summation score. CONCLUSION: Cognitive performance is lower in elderly hypertensives as compared with elderly normotensives.

Keywords